Wasn't the issue that began the war over the "right to secede"? not
precisely over slavery.
Loretta
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald R Makosky" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: Hampton (Virginia) National Cemetary: 757.723.7104
> Dear Deane Ferguson Mills,
> I just joined this list yesterday. Having moved to Virginia upon
> retirement in 1997, I am busy learning more of the history of the state
> and the controversies it has raised. I was born and raised in Maryland,
> but must admit that I was a college teacher by profession and probably
> meet your definition of liberal.
> Nevertheless, this is a sincere question I ask now, not a
criticism or
> put down. What rights did Virginians in the 1850s believe might be taken
> away from them except their right to make their own decisions about
> slavery? At that period wasn't the federal government debating whether
> to make slavery illegal in certain territories as they applied for
> statehood? Lincoln said repeatedly that preservation of the union was a
> higher priority for him than abolition of slavery. That is, the federal
> government did not intend in 1860 to abolish slavery in states like
> Virginia where it was already established. It does appear that secession
> precipitated the Emancipation Proclamation.
>
> Sincerely, Donald Makosky
> On Mon, 3 Sep 2001 10:13:54 -0400 Deane <[log in to unmask]>
> writes:
> > Well, I suppose that is why those Virginians fought for the North.
> > They considered themselves Americans rather than Virginians and they
> > probably also espoused the causes of the North rather than the
> > South.
> > Nevertheless, I believe that many Southerners were extremely
> > patriotic about
> > their individual states and, in fact, saw themselves and felt
> > themselves to
> > be "Virginians" first; "North Carolinians" first;
> > "South Carolinians" first, etc.
> > I would also like to make the point that in some ways these
> > philosophical
> > and political battles are still being fought.
> > Today, Americans in every state of the Union are now fighting the
> > idea of an
> > over-big, gargantuan, ravenous, "morbidly obese", centralized
> > government
> > that is over regulating and over taxing its citizenry.
> > In other words, States' Rights is still an issue.
> > Those issues, I think, were the crux of the Civil War.
> > To the folks out there who disagree with me, please do not tell me
> > that the
> > reflections and memories of my four, Un-Reconstructed Southern
> > grandparents
> > were the rantings and ravings of some old bigots. Their beliefs had
> > absolutely nothing to do with the issues of slavery and they were
> > not
> > racists.
> > What some of you (notably you liberal, college professors) call
> > 'propaganda', others might call a primary source.
> > The reason I keep mentioning my grandparents at this site dedicated
> > to
> > Virginia history is because I want to give them a voice in these
> > matters.
> > They lived through the times being discussed and they were hardly
> > alone in
> > what they thought and believed in.......and believed in strongly
> > enough to
> > go to war and fight for.
> > Deane Ferguson Mills
> > A 13th generation Tidewater Virginian!
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 6:11 AM
> > Subject: Re: Hampton (Virginia) National Cemetary: 757.723.7104
> >
> >
> > > How about General Thomas and other Virginians, like the
> > substantial
> > portion
> > > of Loudoun county German Quakers that fought for the Union and
> > considered
> > > themselves Americans above Virginians?
> > >
> > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the
> > instructions
> > > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
> >
> > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the
> > instructions
> > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
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